President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Robert Lighthizer to be U.S. Trade Representative, the Trump transition team announced today. Lighthizer was deputy U.S. Trade Representative under President Ronald Reagan, and Trump said in a statement he will do “an amazing job helping turn around the failed trade policies which have robbed so many Americans of prosperity.”
The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index climbed to 54.7% in December up from November’s 53.2%. That matched expectations. Numbers above 50% signal expansion. New orders and production were up as well as plans to add employees. Eleven of the 18 U.S. manufacturing industries surveyed reported growth.
The Commerce Department reports outlays for U.S. construction projects rose 0.9 % in November, the sixth increase in the past seven months, and is now at its highest level in more than a decade. Economists expected only a 0.6% rise. Private outlays rose 1%, while spending for public construction projects rose 0.8%. Residential rose 1%.
Serving the West Side first, I am Bill Roller of BR Capital for 1360 KUIK.
